Shoe last and protector therefor



Ju y 25, 1939. P. s. JONES SHOE LAST AND PROTECTOR THEREFOR Filed April 9, 1938 In mentor a/ifiorney Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE LAST AND PROTECTOR THEREFOR Paul S. Jones, Brockton, Mass., assignor to Jones & Vining, Inc., Brockton, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 9, 1938, Serial No. 201,147

3 Claims. (Cl. 12-139) My present invention is a novel and improved ted thru the thimble, and thus tending to breaklast for use in manufacturing boots and shoes, age of the last.

and includes a novel protector for the top or cone Thus my invention eliminates the expense of of the last around the recess for the last-holda metal thimble and eliminates also to a large ii mg pin of the jack. degree the tendency of breakage in the last thru 5 Heretofore it has been customary in making strains, and stresses while transferring such shoe lasts to provide a thimble-holding recess in strains directly to the protecting layers, wherein the top or cone of the last forwardly, and ara limited amount of yield and give is permitted. ranged to receive a metal thimble, and also it has Thus I utilize the capacity of the protecting been customary to apply one'or more protecting layers, such as fibre and leather, to preserve the 10 layers on the top of the cone thru which the thimlateral strains on the last, as well as to preserve ble passed so as to aid in protecting the wood of the top of the cone of the last from the blows the last during the various strains, blows, and and stresses of heel-nailing, sole-leveling, etc.

stresses to which the last is subjected during the I believe that my invention of permanently processes of shoe manufacture, particularly in the uniting by a metal collar or washer a plur 0f 15 heel-nailing and shoe leveling operations. last protecting layers before applying the same My present invention is directed to improve and to a last is a distinct novelty, and that my imperfect the last protecting construction and to p oved l st, wherein a metal bearing is provided eliminate the necessity for a long and expensive in the protecting layers and not in the thimble metal thimble, while utilizing one or more layers ole, is a distinct novelty and I Wish to claim 20 of last protecting material, which are attached these features herein broadly. to the top or cone of the last. Such protecting Referring to the drawing illustrating a prelayers may be of any suitable and desirable mateferred embodiment of my p ese invention,

rial, such for example as fibre or leather, which Fig. 1 is a side View of my improved last conare at present generally employed, and are sestruction; 25 cured by nails or screws to the wood of the last. ig- 2 s a fragmentary P View Of the p Heretofore these layers have been united by tector and heel portion of the last; nails or screws attaching them to the last as well Fig. 3 s a enlarged Cress-sectional w 0 t e also as by the top portion of a metal thimble, line 3-3 of Fig. 2; which is driven into the thimble hole bored into Fi 4 is a persp View illustrating a p 80 the last. rality of protecting layers united by my thimble- By my present invention, which eliminates the like tubular t; thimble heretofore fitted into the last, I em- 5 s a fragmentary C oss-sect onal view ilploy a metal member, 00113;, r tubm r i t, lustrating a modified form wherein the rivet exwhich may extend a short distance into the thimtends partly into the last; and 5 ble hole, similar in diameter and material to the 6 is a perspective w O t e od fied 00nupper part of the last thimble and fit the same strlleiion illustrated in rigidly and permanently thru the protecting layy invention is equally applicable to y yp ers, thus unitin the layers befor they r apof shoe last as well as to any style, size, or conplied to or attached to the cone of the last, and struetien whether of t hinge yp block t 40 thus also provide a strong, rigid, metal bearing type, -D three-part last Construction; for the pin of the last jack, which pin may pass the invention being Primarily pp b e to he t the metal collar, Washer, tubular rivet heel portion and to eliminate the usual thimble. and extend loosely into the interior of the wood These thlmbles bemg made of i and, of the last usually, of forged metal are expensive as well as being expensive to fit and secure the same in the My mviinilon thus ehmmates expense to large thimble recess bored in the last, the wood of the degree rlgldly Secures the protector layers tolast being very thin at the thimble-receiving porgether, and furthermore provides a bearing at the tion and, hence, bein liable to s lit the 'ack untop of the last hole for the ack pm, permitting der strain and g p 3 50 the jack pin to be located somewhat freely with- As Shown in the drawing a typical last f use in the hOle and. the lateral manufacture of boots and shoes of the strain heretofore thrust upon the wood of the last hinge type is t t having a forepart and by the metal thimble, which had to resist all heel part 2 united by any suitable pivotal and ,5; strains and stresses from the jack pin transmithinged construction. In the heel portion 2 is bored the usual thimble-receiving recess 3, but instead of fitting the ordinary thimble therein I provide a metal bearing member which will take the strain of the last jackpin at the extreme top of the last, which member is preferably fitted in and thru a protecting layer, or layers, for the top of the last.

Thus I relieve the wood of the last at the top portion of the cone or heel part 2, where it is thin, from breaking and strains of the jack pin.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, this metal bearing member consists of a tubular rivet 5, being of appropriate width to extend thru and be secured on both sides of the protector layer or layers. As herein illustrated, I have shown two protecting layers ID of fibre, and l I of leather, and the tubular member 5 is fitted thru a bored opening in this protecting layer in position to be in alignment with the thimble recess 3. The member 5 is fitted with an out-turned flange 6 engaging the top portion of the layer I0, and with the inner or opposite rim of the member 5 headed over or riveted, as shown at 1, thus aiding in retaining the two layers El and l I firmly and rigidly together, as well as giving a support to the tubular rivet or bearing member 5.

This tubular rivet 5 fitted in the protecting layers will receive the strain transmitted between the last and the jack on which the last is fitted during the various shoe-making operations, particularly where heel-nailing and sole-leveling are being performed, which involve great strain. The protector layers aid greatly in preserving the thin top of the cone of the heel part of the last by the wear-resistance and yield secured by the protecting layer or layers.

Similarly, this wear-resisting and yielding feature of the protecting layer, or layers, is utilized by the tubular member 5 in the lateral strains to which it is subjected by the jack pin, still further freeing the wood of the heel part from breaking lateral stresses and strains, and thereby insuring long life and usefulness to my improved last construction.

Furthermore, the feature of forming a protecting layer, or layers, thus firmly united by a tubular rivet enables these protector tops to be made complete and ready for attachment to the last for which they are intended. Suitable counter recesses I 4|4 are bored thru the protector to receive retaining screws l5l 5 which hold the protector on to the heel portion 2.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated a modified form wherein the protecting layers l0 and H are united by a tubular rivet or bearing member 20 of sufiicient length to extend part way into the top of the thimble hole 3. In this form of rivet I provide a shouldered portion, as indicated at 2|, on the rivet 20 constituting retaining means for the protector layers I 0 and II between said shouldered portion and the flange 22 at the outer end, thus providing a thickened portion 23 to fit snugly within the thimble hole 3 and retain the protector layers in alignment, in addition to the attaching screws l5.

In both forms of my invention I have provided a novel last construction wherein the thimble is eliminated and a tubular rivet, collar, or bearing member only supplied to receive the jack pin of the last support to take up the wear thereof, which furthermore is largely transmitted by and thru the somewhat yielding and wear-resisting layer, or layers, of the last where it is extra thin from lateral breaking strains. The projecting end of the jack pin can thus only bear against the walls of the thimble hole 12, well Within the body of the heel part 2 where the wood is thick and heavy and where there is no danger of breaking the last by lateral strains.

These features are of great importance in the manufacture and use of shoe lasts and will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A last for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, having a plurality of protecting layers for the cone of the last united by a tubular rivet said rivet being unattached to the last, and secured to said last by attachment of said protecting layers to the last.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a last protector having a plurality of layers united by a tubular rivet adapted to register with the thimble hole of a last, and attachable to the last independently of a thimble.

3. An an improved article of manufacture, a protector for the cone of a last, formed of wearresisting material and yieldable material, and having fitted therethrough a tubular rivet with a flange at one end and a shoulder near the opposite end constructed and arranged to retain the protector materials together between said flange and shoulder.

PAUL S. JONES. 

